Río Pilcomayo National Park
| Río Pilcomayo National Park | |
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| Parque Nacional Río Pilcomayo | |
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IUCN category II (national park)
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Marshes of the Río Pilcomayo National Park
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 Location within Argentina
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| Location | Formosa Province, Argentina |
| Coordinates | 25°04′00″S 58°07′00″W / 25.066667°S 58.116667°WCoordinates: 25°04′00″S 58°07′00″W / 25.066667°S 58.116667°W |
| Area | 51,889 ha (128,220 acres) |
| Established | 1951 |
| Governing body | Administración de Parques Nacionales |
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| Designated | May 4, 1992 |
The Río Pilcomayo National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Río Pilcomayo) is a national park located in the northeastern part of the Argentine province of Formosa, on the border with Paraguay. Established on September 29, 1951 to protect the natural features (grasslands, marshes, creeks, lakes and forests), typical of the Humid Chaco ecoregion, the park is included in the Ramsar Convention's list of wetlands of international importance.
The park occupies a large plain, which was formed when a depression in Paleozoic crystalline rocks was filled with organic and inorganic sediments, thus creating a sedimentary basin. The uppermost sediment levels are of fluvial and aeolian origin. The eastern parts of the park are dominated by silts and clays, creating less permeable soils, while the western parts contain soils that are coarser and more porous.
There are faults that were generated during formation of the Andes, lying parallel to the Paraguay River. While the park's territory is gently sloping down from west to east, there is very little variety in elevation. The subtle differences become important in times of heavy rains and floods, when the area becomes inundated with pools of water connected by channels forming in the most low-lying areas.
The Pilcomayo River, after which the park is named, is the main watercourse of the area. During the wet season, the river and its tributaries flood the nearby areas, creating large swaths of interconnected lakes and marshes, most of which are temporary. The southern end of the park contains a larger lake called Laguna Blanca, which is a habitat for many waterfowl species and a resting point for migratory bird species coming from the Northern Hemisphere.
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